Runway Reviews

(NEW YORK) The latest collections leave no doubt about it-smart is sexy once again.

Lacoste
Christophe Lemaire eschewed a show filled with polos in favor of a leaf-strewn runway collection that offered the Lacoste wearer-and there are millions of them-an alternative to the iconic alligator prepster gear of years past. Exploring the French countryside during a bustling winterscape, the Lacoste girl was a bookish one, perhaps an art student even, who's happy, carefree, but conscious of her style. Clothes that Julie Andrews could wear well in a modern-day Sound of Music, lean silhouettes via belted bodysuits and denim overalls were contrasted against dressier grey cardigan sweaters-some boasting sheepskin collars-all topped off with berets, natch, and boxy suitcases. Long cashmere caps will keep the chill at bay, and for those fun nights indoors, the belted shirtdress with expanded collar is a failsafe.

Ruffian
Though much of fashion's current '90s infatuation merely mines exhausted minimalist territory, Ruffian's inspired collection, their most assured yet, managed to reference without retreading, making its conceits seem truly fresh and very much their own. Wolk and Morais enhanced the era's stark, humorless black, white, red, and navy, reimagining it as heartbreakingly lovely noir, cream, carnelian, and sapphire. Proportions were remixed (sleeves shrunk, waists raised) and texture redefined (softly grainy as pointillist paintings or glossy as purebred pelts). But it was the ruching and ruffles tumbling like waterfalls that ultimately stole the show; the two have the judgement and timing of true auteurs. At once refined and edgy, uptown and down, ultimately the duo trancended referentiality to carve something truly their own.

Alexander Wang
Super-'80s was the recurring theme at Alexander Wang's presentation, which brought back the bondage bras made famous by Versace. But for the everyday girl, his oversized cape cardigan is a must for fall, as are his trapeze skirts, which were worn with edgy motorcycle jackets, backwards cardigans, and a super-raw white tank top that left little to the imagination. For an extra sparkle, gold grommets were liberally used as finishing touches.

Josh Goot
It takes considerable skill to show an all-black collection that's neither redundant nor dripping in pretension, but luckily, Goot's got the goods to spare. Getting more mood mileage from a single shade than most designers wring out of a rainbow, the designer's traversed Audrey-chic LBDs, cocktail sheaths with minimal, futuristic touches, and skin-tight, pared-down layered looks that were made for the streets of Berlin; liquid, ever-so-slightly billowing ensembles, meanwhile, were technical triumphs that revealed the body's contours without stripping them of their mystery.

Sass & Bide
Mixing icy Parisian chic with flapper-esque details, Clarke and Middleton's gamine show looked grown-up without losing its raffish, girlish charm. Stockinged legs in black and off-white let the terrific tops steal the show; standouts included sleeveless, empire waist numbers with feather-like prints, gold tunics with rows of tiny, cloth-covered buttons and blouson sleeves, and precision-cut black wool coats that balaced sleekness and volume in body to perfection. The collection's greatest strength, however, was its versatility.

Alice Roi
Influenced by a darker mood in fashion, Roi presented what could be best described as hospital chic. With chalk dust outlines of her initials on the runway-that left white footprints wherever the Robert Clergerie-clad models walked-Roi presented a darker collection that utilized heavily wool, mohair, fringe, and even a bat print. The dresses were the clear standout of the collection, including a cream knit honeycomb dress, black silk wool panel LBD, and a burnt sweater dress that's sure to be an editorial hit. A ruched plaid riding skirt was a nice touch, as was a quaint booboo spooks lace and cashmere shirt.